Building block



V 1.929. c. c. HEINZMANN 1,736,595

BUILDING BLOCK Filed June 18, 1928 a 22 4 28 i v a6 66 INVENTOR.Glarence ahfiainjmann,

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES CLARENCE C. HEINZMANN, OF MARION,INDIANA BUILDING BLOCK Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to building blocks designed primarily for use inconnection with brick veneer building walls but it is to be understoodthat a block in accordance with this invention may be employed for anypurpose wherein it is found applicable, and the object of the inventionis to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a block for coactingwith a header for bonding the veneer course of brick with the blockcourse and to further provide a cavity to receive the surplus mortarsqueezed from the joints during the process of laying.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth for receiving and joining the header brick of theveneer course to the block course, and to further provide a jointbetween the header and the block course which will have the maximum ofanchorage.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth for breaking the transverse plane of the jointbetween the block course and the header brick which will result in abetter bonded wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth for concealing the header brick within the blockcourse so that the inner and outer faces of the wall will have a uniformappearance.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a building block that is highly efficient for itsintended purpose, strong, durable and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture and which will make a strong, durable and weatherproof wallat a material reduction in the cost of labor and a unit that willrequire only one shape for all courses thus necessitating only one shapeunit on the bricklayers scaffold.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists ofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of theinvention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications1928. Serial N0. 286,183.

may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote correspondingparts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view partlyin section of a brick veneer wall showing an adaptation therewith of abuilding block in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a building block in accordance withthis invention.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig ure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view of the block.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 6 indicates generally the weatherface of a brick veneer wall and 7 denotes generally the in terior faceof the wall. The brick veneer portion of the wall consists of aplurality of rows of bricks 8 superimposed upon each other in alengthwise direction with respect to the wall and having a joint 9 ofmortar. cement or other bonding material interposed between theindividual bricks and also the rows of bricks. Alternating with theplurality of rows of bricks 8 regarded as a unit, is interposed a singlerow of bricks 10, extending transversely with respect to the wall andhaving a joint of bonding material 11 between the individual bricks andthe plurality of rows 8, similar to the joint 9. The alternate rows ofbricks 10 will be hereafter referred to as the header, tie or bondingbricks.

The inner face 7 of the wall consists of a plurality of rows of buildingblocks indicated generally at 12, formed in accordance with thisinvention. The blocks are superimposed upon each other and are laidlengthwise with respect to the walL The alternate layers are invertedwith respect to Figure 2 of the drawings. Interposed between the rowsand each individual block is a joint of mortar 13. The inner portion ofthe header brick 10 extends into and its inner end terminates in acavity 14 formed between the alternate rows of blocks in accordance withthis invention.

- ends of the shoulders 20.

The building block 12 constructed in accordance with this inventionconsists of a body having a flat rectangular bottom face 15 and a flatrectangular inner side face 16 extending at right angles thereto. Theouter side face 17 extends at right angles to the bottom face 15 and hasits bottom edges terminating flush therewith. It will be noted that thebottom 15 of the block is not offset with respect to the bottom edge ofthe outer side face.

The edges 18 and 19 at each end of the outer side face of the blockpreferably extend inwardly at right angles thereto for a short distanceand then taper inwardly to form bevelled shoulders 20 and 21respectively. The top edge 22 of the outer side face of the blockextends inwardly at right angles thereto for a like short distance andthen tapers downwardly to form a bevelled top shoulder 23. The topshoulder 23 has a pitch of approximately forty-five degrees. The inner21 preferably merge with the end faces 24, 25. The top shoulder 23merges with the flat top face 26 of a redueed inner portion 27 of theblock.

That part of the block between the top edge 22 of the outer side faceand the bevelled shoulder 23 forms a continuous outset portion or bosswith respect to the reduced inner portion of the block. This boss oroutset portion of the block is indicated generally at 28' in Figure 2.The face of the boss 28 extends at right angles to the outer face of theblock and is coextensive with the top edge thereof as will be seen inFigures 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The edges 28, 29 at the ends of the inner face 16 preferably projectforwardly at right angles to the said inner face, and in the same planewith the respective end faces of the shoulders 20, 21. The forwardlyprojecting edges form abutments 30 31 at the inner ends of the end faces25 and 2% respectively of the reduced portion of the block. The forwardedges of the abutment-s decline forwardly until the merge with the endfaces 25 and 24 where y the bevelled shoulders 32 and 33 are formedbetween the abutments and the end faces of the reduced portion. V

While the ends of the block are preferably formed with bevelledshoulders 20, 21 and abutments 31, 30 it is within the contempla tion ofthe invention to use any kind of an end on the block.

The top face 26 of the reduced portion of the block extends in the sameplane from the base of'the bevelled shoulder 23 at its forward end tothe top edges of the rear face 16. it will be noted that the whole topface 26 of the reduced portion of the block is inset with respect to thetop face of the boss and the bevelled shoulder 23. The inset top faceforms one wail of the inner end of the cavity 32. It will depend uponwhether the block is inverted or in the position shown in Figures 2 and3 of the drawings as to whether said face will form the upper or lowerwall of the inner end of said cavity.

The bod of the block is preferably formed with a p urality ofsubstantially oblong spaced openings 34 which project from the top face26 to the bottom face 15 thereof. The oblong openings 34 extend aportion of the width of the block from a point adjacent the inner face16 to a point approximately half way up the bevelled shoulder 23 of theboss. The top edges of the outer end wall 35 of each of the openings 34are positioned in the bevelled shoulder 23 of the boss. The top edges ofthe inner end wall 36 of each of the openings 34 are positioned in thetop face 26 of the reduced portion adjacent the inner face 16 of thebody. The outer end wall 35 and the inner end wall 36 of each oblongopening are preferably curved.

While the openings 34 have been described as oblong and the edges .ofthe end walls 35, 36 thereof are said to be curved, it is within thecontemplation of the invention to have the openings of any desired shapeas long as the top edges of the outer end walls 35 are positioned at apoint approximately half way up the bevelled shoulder 23 of the boss28'.

In the application the blocks are superimposed upon each other havingalternate courses inverted with respect to the position of the block inFigure 2 of the drawings. The faces of the boss 28 are buttered withmortar and laid in abutting relation forming a joint of mortar 13therebetween. The offset top faces 26 of the reduced inner portiontogether with the bevelled shoulders 23 form the cavity indicated at 14when the alternate block is inverted with respect to Figure 1 of thedrawings. The cavity will be positioned at alternate layers of theblock. The cavity has an open end at the rear of the block layer intowhich the header bricks 10 extend.

In actual practice the brick layer is built up simultaneously with theblock layer until the top face 26 of the block is in the same plane asthe adjacent brick layer. The top face 26 and the header brick 10 arebuttered with mortar and the header brick is then laid transversely ofthe wall. A portion of the header extends over on the top face 26 of theblock and the inner end of the brick terminates at the base of theshoulder 23. The top layer of block is then laid in inverted positionand the top face 26 thereof when inverted forms the top face of thecavity which forms a bond with the top face of the header brick. Theexcess mortar will be collected in the forward angular end of the cavity14 which is formed by the opposed shoulders 23 when the blocks aresuperimposed upon each other in inverted position.

When the excess mortar is squeezed into the angular end of the cavity, aportion thereof will overlap the edge of the curved inner end 35 of theopenings 34, because the openings 34 extend into the bevelled shoulders23. The foregoing structure will form a mortar joint between the ends ofthe header and block course with many points of attachment and none ofwhich are, in the same plane with transverse plane of the main joints 9and 11. The points of attachment of the mortar joint will be the innerface of the header brick 10 which is at right angles to the main joint13; the opposed bevelled shoulders 23 at the forward end of the cavity12; the curved inner end 35 of the openings 34. It will also be obviousthat the obtuse angle of attachment between the bevelled shoulder 23 andthe inner edge 35 of the opening 34 will not be as sharp as a rightangle so that the corners of the joint will be less likely to crack whenthe wall settles. In view of the foregoing it will be seen that theblock construction provides for the maximum strength at the jointbetween the header brick of the veneer course and the block course.

What I claim is 1. A building block comprising a rectangular body havinga boss integral and coextensive with the forward portion of the topthereof, said boss having its top face uninterrupted throughout andsquared, its outer side face flush with the outer side face of said bodyand its rear side face beveledv throughout from said top face to the topof said body, said boss of a width in transverse cross section to haveits rear side face p0- sitioned between the outer side and longitudinalmedian of said body, the bevel of the rear side face of said bossextending from its bottom towards the outer side face of said bodywhereby the said top base is of less width than the bottom of the boss,and said body formed with spaced, parallel, vertical openings disposedat right angles to the length of the boss, each of said openings havingthe major portion thereof of the same height as that of said body, andeach of said openings extending from a point intermediate the top andbottom of said bevelled rear side face to a point in proximity to therear side face of said body.

2. A building block comprising a rectangular body having a boss integraland coextensive with the forward portion of the top thereof, said bosshaving its top face uninterrupted throughoutand squared, its outer sideface flush with the outer side face of said body and its rear side facebeveled throughout from said top face to the top of said body, said bossof a width in transverse cross section to have its rear side face p0-sitioned between the outer side and longitudinal median of said body,the bevel of the rear side face of said boss extending from its bottomtowards the outer side face of said body whereby the said top base is ofless Width than the bottom of the boss, and said body formed withspaced, parallel, vertical openings disposed at right angles to thelength of the boss, each of said openings having the major portionthereof of the same height as that of said body, each of said openingsextending from a point intermediate the top and bottom of said bevelledrear side face to a point in proximity to the rear side face of saidbody, and the end wall of each of said openings being rounded.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature

